Exploration and evolution have been at the heart of Susan’s creative journey since her introduction to ceramics in high school. The daughter of a painter and a physicist, she inherited a unique blend of artistic vision and analytical thinking from an early age.
Born in Chicago, Susan attended high school near New York City, where she first encountered clay in an elective course. It was love at first touch. As she considered her future, art quickly emerged as her calling. In 1973, she was accepted into Alfred University’s College of Ceramic Art in upstate New York, one of the top institutions in the field. There, she immersed herself not only in ceramics but also in a broad spectrum of fine arts.
After college, Susan married and moved to Captiva, Florida, where she established her first independent studio. Her journey soon led her to Boca Grande, Florida, in 1978, where she put down roots, purchased a home, and started a family.
Balancing motherhood with an art career presented challenges, as clay work demands long, uninterrupted hours. Seeking an alternative creative outlet, she turned to papermaking, producing wall-hung pieces and experimenting with photo image transfers. This period coincided with the formation of an island arts organization, now known as the Boca Grande Art Center. As a founding member, Susan has served as a director and officer for many years and remains an active exhibiting artist and board member.
In 2001, Susan returned to her ceramic roots, but a transformative encaustic monotype workshop with Paula Roland in Santa Fe, New Mexico, introduced her to a new medium. She began integrating her rice paper prints with pottery, and creating mixed-media wall pieces incorporating glass, paper, clay, and found objects. This exploration led to a fresh artistic direction and the construction of a second, larger studio at her summer home in Camden, Maine, further expanded her creative possibilities. Large-format encaustic monotypes have become a central focus of her work.
Over the decades, Susan has been an active member of numerous Southwest Florida art organizations and galleries. Her work has garnered multiple awards and widespread recognition, highlighting her contributions to the regional art community.
Susan’s art is driven by a deep desire to evoke both conscious and subliminal connections to the intricate rhythms of nature. She approaches her creative process with fearless experimentation and playful curiosity, constantly reimagining boundaries and engaging the viewer in a dynamic visual dialogue.